The Importance of USCF Rated Chess Tournaments
Why play USCF rated chess tournaments?
Here I will convince you of the value and importance of USCF rated chess tournaments. There are many things that make playing in these events worthwhile, especially for children and young adults.
It is true that these events come with a bit of stress, and I have known many parents who have decided it was too much for their child. Of course that is their decision, and may have even been the best one depending on the circumstances. However, it cannot be denied that stress is a part of life.
As parents our job is to prepare our children for life’s difficulties as best we can. I believe that the best way to do that is to help them develop methods for solving problems combined with practice on using those methods in real-life situations.
Enter USCF rated chess tournaments
At this point you may be asking, “How do I avoid the danger inherent in a difficult situation? Having the wrong solution to a real-life problem can have serious consequences!” Luckily for you there is the USCF rated chess tournament.
These events provide a competitive environment where the consequences of bad decisions are mostly limited to the game in which they occur. They also come with an opportunity to improve by learning from those mistakes.
This lets children experience feelings of failure in a controlled environment. With proper guidance, they develop ways to process bad results and overcome disappointment. These skills stick with them and are invaluable in the real world.
One additional benefit
Many people are not aware, but competitive chess in the USA is on the rise. As the USA competes globally, universities are competing nationally to have the best chess program.
As a result, players with sufficient experience in USCF rated chess tournaments and a rating in the upper percentiles have become a valuable commodity. It has become routine for these players to receive partial and full scholarships from even the biggest universities.
If you had two similar applicants but one has played 500 rated games of chess with a rating in the top 25th percentile, who would you pick?
